Dispensing package



Oct. 3, 1944.

J. G. TUREK DISPENSING PACKAGE Fi 1ed Sept. 14, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 V i v ,p

INVENTOR.

v BY Jo/i/z G. weir @M awa- Oct. 3, 1944. J. TUREK I 2,359,337

DISPENS ING PACKAGE Filed Sept. 14, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Patented Oct. 3, 1944 DISPENSING PACKAGE John G. Turek, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Chicago Carton Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application September 14, 1940, Serial No. 356,753

Claims. .(Cl. 206-56) This invention relates to improvements in a dispensing package and has particular reference to the construction of a paper board package for articles which are thereby dispensed one by one.

The herein disclosed embodiment of the invention is in a package designed for ice cream cones, the package being so formed that it is adapted to adequately protect the cones during shipment or storage and so as to be set up for dispensing the cones one by one as required. V

The main objects of the present invention are to provide a dispensing package of the character indicated which will be low in cost of production but which will, nevertheless, provide efiective protection for the content of the package, even though such content be of a highly fragile nature such as ice cream cones; to provide a structure of the character indicated which will effectively retain the cones until they are Withdrawn by the application of positive withdrawing force but which will, nevertheless, permit fth'e cones to be readily withdrawn one byone; and, in general, it is the object of the invention to provide an inexpensive but effective and efficient dispens n package of the character indicated.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be understood by reference to. the following specification and accompanying drawings, wherein there is illustrateda dispensing package em.- bodying a selected form of the invention.

In the'drawings Figures 1, 2 and 3 are perspectives ofthe main component parts of the package.

Figures 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 are plan views of the blanks employed in forming component partsof the package.

Figure 9 is a plan of the part illustrated in Figures 8 and 9 in a completely fabricated but knocked down condition. V a

FigurelO is a perspective of the part illustrated in Figure 3 but showing the underside thereof.

Figure '11 is a vertical section through the package structure, and p v v Figure 12 is a perspective of a box-like unit employed for closing the lower end of the package and supplying added support to the packaged goods during storage and'shipment.

The improved package structure comprises an outer tubular container body l5 which is formed from a blank such as illustrated at Figure '7. Said blank is suitably scored to provide wall forming panels I6, I1, I8 and I9 anda gluing, flap 20, the. latter being adapted to be adhesively attached to-a marginal portion ofthe wall panel I6 to form the blank into the tubular body I5.

The upper ends of the wall panels I6, I1, I8 and I9 are respectively provided with end closureforming flaps 2|, 22, 23 and 24, the flaps 22 and 24 being preferably provided with suitable interlocking tongues and slits as shown and being adapted to be folded into outwardly overlapping walls.

The package herein illustrated is designed to the packaging and dispensing of ice cream cones and it is preferred that'the package be of such size as to be adapted to contain four stacks of nested cones. In order to maintain such stacks out of contact with each other when packaged in the container body I5, there is provided a suitable divider structure such as illustrated in Figure 1. It is formed from a pair of elongated panels 28 and 29 respectively, the panel 28 being centrally slitted as indicated at 30 and the panel 29 being centrally slitted or notched in its end portions only as indicated at 3|. The panels 29 and 30 are adapted to be assembled into the intersecting divider forming relation illustrated in Figure 1 by inserting first one end portion of the panel 29 through the slit 30 and then moving said panel 29 endwise so as to receive an end portion of the panel 28 in the end slit 3| whereupon the entire panel 29 may be moved into the slit 30 and then endwise so as to position the opposite end portion of the panel 28 in the adjacent slit 3|.

For maintaining the panels 28 and 29 in approximately right-angular relation, there is provided a member 32, the same being provided with pairs of slots 33 and notches 34 for respectively receiving tongues 35 provided on the end of the panel member 29 and tongues 36 provided on the end of panel member 28. It will be apparent that the divider construction illustrated in Figure 1 when inserted in the container body l5, will serve to divide the latter into four compartments. Each of the four compartments thus formed. in the container is adapted to house a stack of nested cones or like articles.

. For retaining the cones in the container I5 for shipment and storage purposes and for supporting the stacks of cones for dispensing purposes, there is provided in'the' normally lower end of the container body a supporting or retaining unit such as illustrated in Figures 3 and 10. Said retaining unit comprises a top wall 31 and depending flanges or side walls 38. The top wall 31 is provided with a series of four perforations 39 from which slits indicated at 40 radiate to form a plurality of tongues 4| surrounding each of said openings 39. The supporting structure thus generally described is mounted in the lower portion of the container body l5 by having one pair of its side walls 38 inserted between the inside of the respective side walls l6 and I8 and the outside of the respective tongues 21 formed in such side walls as clearly shown in Figure 11. Because of the width of the flanges or side walls 38, the supporting structure is effectively held against rocking movement about a horizontal axis within the container body so that said tongues 21 are entirely sufficient to adequately hold the supporting structure in place in the container body. As indicated in dotted lines at 42, the stacks of cones are adapted to be initially supported by, and in engagement with, the ends of the tongues 4| For I dispensing purposes, the projecting portion of the lowermost cone is grasped and pulled downwardly with the result that the supporting tongues 4| are bent downwardly as indicated at 4 I in Figure 11 to permit the passage of the upper end of the cone through the thus enlarged opening. The tongues, however, have a normal tendency to return to their initial horizontal position and such tendency is strong enough-to enable the tongues to effectively support the remaining stack of cones in the container so that the then lowest cone will require the application of positive force for W-ithdrawing it from the container. After the first cone is removed, the tongues will not return fully to their horizontal position but will extend inwardly and downwardly in a position wherein the stack of cones is supported in a somewhat lowered position, wherein a larger portion of the cone projects and is accessible for grasping .for withdrawal purposes.

The supporting member illustrated in Figures 3 and is preferably formed in a special manner to give it adequate rigidity and strength for the purpose indicated. The member is formed from a blank such as indicated in Figure 8. As there illustrated, the openings 39 are provided within substantially square panels 43 which are separated from each other by pairs of intervening panels 44. The panels 44 are foldable relative to each other substantially midway between the pairs of openings 39 and relative to the respective panels 43 to which they are connected alon suitable fold lines formed in the blank. Centrally of the blank there is provided an opening 45 which eliminates a substantially square panel of material in the intersection of the panel pairs. and also triangular portions ofthe inner ends of two of said panel pairs 44. The side walls .38 of the supporting unit are formed by suitable flaps such as indicated at 46 which extend laterally from the outer side edges of the panels '43 and the outer ends of certain of the panels of said panel .pairs '44. As shown, certain .of the panels 46 are adhesively or otherwise secured together'to form a side wall 38 and certain panels thereof are provided with tongues and others with slits for facilitating interlocking of such panel when folded to the depending side wall or flange formthe condition shown in Figure '9. Such condlt On is obtained by folding the panel pairs 44 into upwardly extending face to face relation to form two-ply flange-like elements indicated at 41 which extend at right angles from the then adjacent edges of the apertured panels 43 (see Figure 10). The adjacent faces of the folded panel pairs 44 are preferably adhesively secured together so as to maintain the same in said folded condition and they are then initially folded downwardly into face to face relation to certain of the apertured panels 43 as illustrated in Figure 9 so that the fabricated blank is then in a flat knocked down condition. The purpose of the triangular notches in two of the panel pairs 44 as shown in Figure 8 is to provide the beveled ends 48 on one pair of said flange members 41 to facilitate folding of said members 41 to the knocked down condition illustrated in Figure 9 without overlapping and thereby increasing thickness with attendant difficulties in respect of stacking the fabricated blanks.

The fabricated blanks in the condition illustrated in Figure 9 may quickly and easily be set up to the bottom forming condition illustrated by folding the side forming flaps 46 downwardly and interlocking the tongues and slits of such end flaps, whereupon said flange members 41 may be unfolded to their depending position as illustrated in Figures .-10 and .11.

The flanges 41 have substantially square outer ends which are adapted to engage the adjacent depending side walls of the supporting structure. Said side walls are, of course, effectively supported against outward displacement by the container body l5, wherefor downward displacement or sagging of the top '31 of the supporting structure is effectively resisted incident to said engagement of the ends of the flanges 41 with said side walls 38. It will be observed that the Projecting depending portions of the cones in the package will prevent said flanges 41 from returning to their collapsed position so that said flanges remain effective to support the top 31 of the supporting member against downward displacement even though said flanges return as far as permitted by the .cones toward the collapsed position.

The panels 43 which contain the dispensing openings 39 are provided with the radially extending slits 40 before mentioned, to provide the tongues 4| and the latter are rendered downwardly bendable by means of suitable scoring such as indicated at 48, which defines the outer ends of the tongues and their hinged connections to the respective panels 43. Such scoring is pref- .erably in the form of a crease line pressed down wardly. When the crease line is so formed, the tongues have a greater resistance to downward bending than to upward bending so that they have a decided tendency to return from their extreme downwardly bent position, required for the passage of an ice cream conetherethrough, to normal cone supporting position. The construction shown permits the location of the dispensing openings in such close proximity that the outer ends of "some of the bendable tongues 4| of adjacent openings 39 substantially abut one another, as clearly illustrated in Figure 3. The provision of the foldable panel pair 44 facilitates this arrangement in that the panel pairs intervening between adjacent openings provide adequate support for said tongues and thereby prevent tearing of the tongues, especially where their outer ends abut or come into close Proximity to on another. Hence, the container may be made to cont m ajplurality-of stacks of cones within a cross pensing supporting structure.

sectional area not materially larger than that necessarily required by the maximum cross sectional area of the cones. Thi is an important advantage in that it maintains the size of the dispensing package at a minimunythis being highly desirable in practically all places Where ice cream cones are sold, since space for packages of this character seems to'be almost always at a'premium.

The package structure thus far described may be employed without further mean for supporting the cones and the lower end of the outer container l may be provided with suitable flaps adapted to be folded to close the lower end thereof including'the recess 25. However, it is preferred that a separate and removable member be provided for closing the'lower end of the package for storage and shipment purposes and such member is preferably so formed as to furnish added support to the package content to thereby relieve the tongues 4| of unnecessary strains,

Such a removable end closure is illustrated in Figure 12. It includes a main or upper end wall 50 and suitably formed depending side forming flaps 5|, the latter being provided with suitable interlocking tongues or the like. To maintain said flaps in downwardly folded box forming relation to the wall 50, one of said side wall flaps 5| is provided with an extension flap 52 which is adapted to be folded across the bottom of the boxlike structure and such flap 52 is provided with a tongue extension 53 which is adapted to be folded upwardly relative to the bottom formin part 52. Th top wall 50 of said box-like structure is provided with openings 54 for permitting the passage of the lower end portions of the packaged cones or like products through such wall 5|]. The bottom closing structure illustrated in Figure 12 may be associated with the package by being inserted into the lower end of the package until the top of said bottom closing structure engages the bottom edges of the side walls 38 of the dis- The openings 54 are of such size that the cones are engaged and supported sufficiently to relievethe tongues 4| of any substantial supporting load while the bottom closure structure is in place and said bottom member is adapted to be locked in assembled relation with the package by folding depending flanges 55 provided on the sides l6 and H! inwardly under the lower edges of an oppositely disposed pair of side walls 5|, then folding the closure member 52 across the outside of said flanges 55 and tucking the tongue 43 between one of the side wall 5| and the adjacent wall of the container body. Such bottom closure serves to effectively protect the projecting ends of the cones against damage and, as before stated, to initially support the cones in the container so that when it is set up for dispensing purposes and said removable botton structure withdrawn, the tongues 4| are in fresh unbroken condition, wherein they will effectively but yieldably support the cones until the last one is withdrawn, after which the entire dispensing container may be discarded.

The described structure embodies relatively simple blank forms which may be easily and economically fabricated on conventional box making equipment so that the dispensing package may be practicably produced on a large volume scale so as to meet present day commercial requirements for articles of the character described,

Changes in the structure may obviously be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which should be determined by reference to the following claims, the same being construed as broadly as possible con sistent with the state of the art. 1

I claim:

1. An article supporting and dispensing unit for apackage of the character described, comprising'a paper board member having a wall part comp-rising a pair of panels integrally connected by an intervening panel adapted to be folded upon itself to thereby draw said panels toward each other, said (panels being each provided with a'plurality of flexible fingers adapted to normally support articles and to permit the withdrawal thereof substantially as described, and side walls extending laterally from said panels. said side walls comprising a pair of relatively independent flaps foldably connected to aligned sideedges of said panels, one of said flaps being extended beyondthe panel with which it is connected toward the other flap and being adapted to lap over the same when said intervening panel is folded upon itself and said flaps are folded to'side-wall forming position, a fiap foldably connected to a transversely extending edge of one of said dispensing opening panels and foldable to side-wall forming position, and means for locking said side-wall forming flaps in sidewall forming position.

2. An article supporting and dispening unit for a package of nested articles, comprising a paper board member provided with four :panels arranged in rectangular relation and each having a plurality of flexible fingers adapted to support stacks of nested articles and to permit suclcessive withdrawal through said fingers of the bottom article of the supported stack, said panels being integrally connected by intervening sections foldable upon themselves so as to draw said panels substantially into edge-to-edge and coplanar relation to thereby encompass the panels in a reduced area, said intervening sections being also foldable into face-to-face relation to the panels for packaging and storage purposes, certain of said foldable sections having adjacent ends beveled so as to permit folding of aligned sections in the same direction without relatively overlapping any of said sections.

3. An article supporting and dispensing unit for a package of the character described, comprising a paper board member provided with a plurality of relatively spaced panels arranged in rectilinear relationship to each other, each of said panels having a plurality of flexible fingers adapted to support articles on said panels and to permit withdrawal of articles through said panels, sections integrally connecting the adjacent edges of said panels and foldable upon themselves and into laterally extending relationship to said panels so as to draw said panels substantially into edge to edge and co-planar relation while maintaining said rectilinear relationship therebetween, said unit being provided with peripheral side wall (portions extending laterally across the adjacent ends of said intervening sections, said intervening sections having outer ends adapted to abut said side walls, whereby said intervening sections are caused to serve as supports for resisting sagging of the inner edge portions of said panels.

4. An article supporting and dispensing unit for a package of the character described, comprising a paper board member provided with a plurality of relatively spaced lpanels arranged in rectilinear relationship to each other, each of said panels having a plurality of flexible fingers adapted to support articles on said panels and to permit withdrawal of articles through said panels, sections integrally connecting the adjacent edges of said panels and foldable upon themselves and into laterally extending relationship to said panels so as to draw said panels substantially into edge to edge and co-planar I relation while maintaining said rectilinear rela- "tionship therebetween, and flaps extending from the longitudinally aligned outer edges of at least some of said panels and foldable relative thereto .into laterally extending, side Wall forming position, at least one of said flaps having an endwise extension which, when the flaps and sections are folded to said laterally extending position, extends across the adjacent end of one of .said folded sections so as to be engageable by said end for panel supporting purposes substantially as described, and means for maintaining said flaps in said side wall forming position.

5. An article supporting and dispensing unit for a package of the character described, comprising a paper board member provided with four panels arranged in rectilinear relationship to each other, each of said panels having a plurality-of flexible fingers adapted tosupport articles on said panels and to permit the withdrawal of articles through said panels, sections integrally connecting the adjacent edges of said panels and foldable upon themselves and into laterally extending relation to said panels so as to draw said panels into substantially edge to edge and co-planar relation while maintaining said rectilinear relationship therebetween, and .fia ps extending from th longitudinally aligned outer edges of each of said panels and foldable relative thereto into laterally extending, side wall forming position, at least one fiap'of each pair of said longitudinally aligned edge 'flalps having an endwise extension which, when the flaps and sections are folded'to said laterally extending position, extends across the adjacent end of one of said folded sections so as to be engageable by said end for panel supporting purposes substantially .as described, and means for maintaining said flaps in said side wall forming position.

JOHN G. 

